Schoenborn Graduate Research Symposium

The Schoenborn Research Symposium is a showcase for the talent and accomplishments of our graduate students, and is a prime indicator of the overall excellence of our graduate program. The Symposium features two sessions in which research projects are presented: oral presentations by senior-level PhD candidates; and poster presentations by mid-level students. In 2018, the Symposium will be held on January 22nd. The symposium is generously sponsored by Praxair.

Dr. Edward M. Schoenborn, Jr. was a key leader in transforming the character of the (then) Department of Chemical Engineering. After completing his degrees in chemical engineering at The Ohio State University, he became well known throughout the chemical engineering community for his work with Dr. Allan Colburn at the University of Delaware.

In 1945 Dr. Schoenborn joined the department as its head. Early in his headship he oversaw two major educational milestones: in 1948 the undergraduate program was accredited for the first time by the Engineer’s Council for Professional Development (ECPD) and the AIChE; and in 1949 the Ph.D. program was established.

In 1966, Dr. Schoenborn ended his tenure as department head and was named the Charles H. Herty Professor of Chemical Engineering. He became an AIChE Fellow in 1973, and retired from the university in 1974. The Schoenborn Graduate Research Symposium is an on-going tribute to his longstanding service to our department.

The daylong Symposium features oral presentations by Ph.D. candidates, and poster presentations by mid-level students. Oral presentations are judged by a faculty jury, while the poster presentations are judged by attending graduate students. Programs from previous years’ symposia can be accessed in the Symposium Archive.

Representatives from industry, government, and academia attend the Symposium, and all interested parties are welcome.

Dr. Schoenborn’s contributions to the department are also recognized by the Edward M. Schoenborn Graduate Student Award, which was originally funded by the Eastern North Carolina Section of the AIChE, working in concert with several department faculty members.